Recording - September 2014 - 36

Pearl ELM-C and Priority microphones

ELM-C: In session
This mic is voiced for smoothness and neutrality, and is excellent for any and all things
acoustic and especially classical
in nature. I used the pair I was
sent on a string trio (stereo XY
setup) as well as to spot-mic a
cello and a violin in separate
recording sessions. In each
instance the sound was full,
warm, and natural, without any
of the high end squeak, squonk
and string drag often highlighted
by many condenser mics when
used on strings. I also used it on
various acoustic guitars as well
as on a banjo in a bluegrass session where the band was all
tracking together. It was here that I appreciated this mic's off-axis rejection-this
capsule design gives the ELM-C the ability to effectively ignore other surrounding
instruments once it's placed properly.
I also used the pair on drum overheads, where they were beautifully suited
to a traditional jazz recording. I found
their sound to be quite reminiscent of a
ribbon, but overall more pristine. For
those same reasons, however, I found
them less useful when used as overheads
on a rock session, where they were too
smooth for my taste.
The one area where I did not particularly warm up to the ELM-C was as a
vocal mic. On both male and female
vocals, it was a tad too round and
smooth. However, this mic does have a
wonderful full and rich proximity effect
that makes it a fantastic voiceover mic,
especially for deep-voiced male talent. I
will say that this mic is very prone to plosives; in vocal recording applications you
will need a good pop filter.
My last use for the ELM-C was in a live
setting on a 40-piece traditional gospel
choir for a celebration of the history of
gospel music. I placed the mics about 6
feet apart, both mics at a 30-degree
angle on high stands, and I could tell
before the show began that the music
director was a tad skeptical. After the performance was over, he said he was
blown away by the sound and wanted to
know what they were and where he
could get a pair! Not only did they sound
incredible, but I was able to make great
use of their off-axis rejection. They were
nearly immune to feedback from the
stage monitors and room PA, which
helped me get the choir to sit nicely
above the band in the mix.
36

RECORDING September 2014

Priority: Something completely different
Now let's move on to the other end of the
Pearl line and look at the company's newest
creation, the Priority. Stylewise the Priority is
a complete break from family tradition.
Where most of Pearl's other mics, like the 22
Series (we reviewed the CO22 way back in
March 2005), use bodies and styling similar
to the ELM series, the new Priority makes use
of a more traditional body similar to what
you might find in a conventional largediaphragm condenser mic.
The body of the mic measures just shy of
41/2" inches long by 11/2" wide and it
has a 3/4" post on its bottom where the
mic cable attaches and where the mic
slides onto the included 1820-MG mic
mount made for Pearl by Microtech
Gefell. The entire body is brushed stainless steel with a wide steel mesh surrounding the capsule and a green etched
label on its front. The Priority comes with a
vinyl drawstring pouch.
The capsule in the Priority is, like most
other Pearl designs, much smaller than
the one in the ELM Series, but is an entirely new design. Dubbed the 2900, it is a
single-membrane rectangular capsule
that, according to Pearl, "has an unusually large membrane for a single membrane capsule which contributes to the
astonishing sonic capabilities of the mic."
Also, unlike most other mics in the Pearl
line, the Priority has an exposed membrane. A main reason for this design,
which sacrifices the perforated enclosure
that's seen on most other Pearl designs, is
that it is simpler to manufacture, making
the Priority much more affordable to build.
Priority: Specs
The cardioid-patterned Priority features
a 20 Hz to 20 kHz frequency response

that is flat from 50 Hz up to 2 kHz. Then
there is a slow wide 2-3 dB rise that centers on 5 kHz and then rolls off by the
time it gets to 10 kHz. This yields a pleasing upper midrange presence that is still
nicely short of being bright or peaky.
Other specs include a sensitivity of 17mV/Pa ±1 dB, a 100
ohm impedance, self-noise of 14
dBA and a maximum SPL of 126
dB. Unlike the ELM-C, the Priority
doesn't come with individual
spec sheets for each mic; these
numbers and the plot shown in
this review are generalized information provided by Pearl.
Priority: In session
Thanks to its high-mid rise,
unlike my experience with the
ELM-C, one obvious priority of the
Priority is vocals. I will cut to the
chase and let you know that it simply excels in this application on
males and females alike. It is a
very "you are there" sound, like
the singer is in the room with you, and it
picks up every detail and nuance of the
human voice. This is a two-edged sword,
because it means that breathiness, throatiness, and whispers are delicately and accurately captured by the Priority... and so are
spittle clicks, mouth noises, and breathing.
It's a tradeoff I'm prepared to live with!
The Priority is also sensitive enough to
pick up the slightest foot tap and carpet
scrape at thirty paces, so it likes to live in
a very quiet environment when doing critical recordings. Compared to the ELM-C,
it had a much more subdued proximity
effect and was also less subject to plosives, although I still recommend a good
pop filter due to the exposed nature of the
capsule. This mic is best described as
open, airy and very real, and yet it is not
brittle or strident in any way.
Moving on from vocals, my second
favorite use was on acoustic guitar where
it nicely highlighted the strums with great
detail. This is one of those mics that
sounds amazing on a nice instrument
with a good player, but if your instrument
is buzzy and/or the player is so-so, you
will get a great detailed recording of a
so-so guitarist and a buzzy instrument.
I also really like what the Priority does
on hand percussion, from djembe to congas to doumbek and even shakers and
maracas, where it yields a very 3D sound
minus bite. It also made a great room mic
on a guitar amp, about 3-6 feet back
from the cabinet, where it added a nice
depth. However, its performance was
almost the complete opposite of the ELMC's on strings, where I found its midrange
a tad too forward. I had similar results for
tambourine and full drum kit.
If you would like to hear the Priority in
action, check out a song I did for Grace

Recording - September 2014

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